Detroit Lions need to return to their dominant defensive roots

AP PhotoDarren Sharper is an impact free agent. Is he attainable for the Lions?Bookmark It's Just Sports or subscribe to our RSS feed.

The years go by, the playoffs continue and the Detroit Lions remain on the sidelines, watching the festivities pass them by.

With the Saints winning the NFC Championship Sunday, the Lions became the answer to a trivia question, “Which NFC team has never made it to the Super Bowl?” (For what it’s worth, the three other teams, all in the AFC, all expansion teams, are the Browns, Texans and Jaguars).

It’s a dubious, but quite fitting, distinction that all but wraps up the Lions’ past 5 decades of misfires and mistakes in a tidy little package of suck.

So what can the Lions do to get back to the playoffs? Buy tickets, of course! (I’m here every Monday! Try the veal!).

OK, let me change the question. What can the Lions do in order to finally win a playoff spot? (God forbid, actually win a damn playoff game).

After watching all three rounds of the NFL post season, it’s become blatantly obvious. It’s always been obvious, even the Lions have been oblivious.

FIX THE DEFENSE.

It really wouldn’t be hard. Definitely not as hard as Matt Millen made it out to be.

1. Sign an impact defender in free agency. I don’t care what position (though an impact defensive lineman would give me the warm fuzzies), I don’t care what it costs (It’s an uncapped year!), but find somebody who can make plays. If you can’t find a big impact guy, load up on the mid-level free agents, you may find a gem or 3 (Blind squirrel, nut, and all that).

2. When the NFL draft rolls around, pick defense early and often. Then draft more defense late. Have a chance to trade for a few picks? Use ‘em on defense! The Vikings take too much time? Bum rush the podium and draft defense!

3. After the draft, load up on undrafted defensive free agents. Scour the world, walk the earth, take a walkabout, anything to find D-1/FCS/NAIA/semi-pro/ guys off the street who can tackle!

Just by sheer numbers, and a little luck, the Lions should come up with a handful of players who know how to wrap up when tackling instead of going for a highlight hit (and missing), to move when the ball is actually snapped, not on a hard count and can get off the field on 3rd downs.

I agreed with Martin Mayhew’s draft policy of taking the best available player, regardless of position, in last year’s draft. It made sense, as talent was lacking at every position. I have no trouble with him staying with the same policy, as long as one word is added. Draft the best available DEFENSIVE player, regardless of position.

Yes, to the amazement of no one, the Lions need another wide receiver or 3 (I laugh, otherwise I’d cry). I’d love to see a monster left tackle who could anchor the offensive line for a decade. I’m not convinced Kevin Smith is a feature back. We all agree the offense needs a few more athletes. But I’m sick and tired of seeing the Lions ignore what’s become an open, festering sore.

DEFENSE!

Via the miracle of the internet, I recently watched the 1970 Lions-Cowboys wild card playoff game. It was a brutal loss, the game that made a 9-year-old me cry. While watching one of the most crushing losses in team history (I still can’t get over the 5-0 score!), I came to a realization.

I’m not exaggerating when I say the Lions had a dominant defense! (Check the stats; they were second overall in the NFL). It was a dominance I haven’t seen from the Lions defense in decades, to be sure. Even in the so-called glory days of the Wayne Fontes led 90s, the Lions won with a great offense, and a middling defense. Hell, Fontes’ draft day rallying cry was to find a “defensive end that could block out the sun!”

Unfortunately, the Big Buck never did.

It’s time the Lions break the current mold, and dig up their mold from the 50s through 70s. It’s marked “DEFENSE”. Something the Lions once took pride in playing.

It’s not as if the Lions are starting totally from scratch. They have a legitimate defensive mind in Jim Schwartz as their head coach. There is the beginning of a defensive core forming, with Louis Delamas, Deandre Levy and Sammie Lee Hill looking like actual players in their rookie season.

The upcoming draft looks to be loaded with defense. It’s time to skip the glamor side of the ball, and build from the inside out.

Spend the off season building a defense, and let the chips fall where they may.

I’m giving the gaggle of Vikings the Facepalm Award for their stellar ball protection in the NFC Championship game -- 6 fumbles, 3 lost fumbles and 2 interceptions is a stat line I’d expect the Lions to put up, not a team one OT away from the Super Bowl.

After their stellar performance Sunday, I’m thinking at the next NFL owner’s meetings the Vikings will try to get stickum re-legalized. Failing that, they will ask for a rule change requiring a handle be added to the official NFL football.

The final few plays of regulation weren’t exactly an offensive highlight reel for the NFC North champs.

First off, on the Vikings last drive, head coach Brad Childress seemingly decided he didn’t need to get the ball a few yards closer for kicker Ryan Longwell. Childress was going to settle for a field goal ... from 50+ yards!

The Vikes were then flagged for the bizarre 12 men on the field, which moved them out of long shot field goal range, and forced them into a true passing down. That was as Lions-esque a penalty as you’ll ever see!

The Vikings’ final offensive play was all that is bad about Brett Favre in a nutshell. Favre is always going to be Favre. He NEVER should have thrown the ball across his body, but can't help himself.

This Lions fan enjoyed a little schadenfreude in regard to the Vikings repeatedly shooting themselves in the foot, and Favre ending another season with an ugly pick. It made for a very enjoyable Sunday!